“Good heavens, what queer people!” she said, emphasizing the phrase and confident that it would have its effect.

Far back in the corner box in which she was hiding Nana sat enveloped in a great shawl.  She was listening to the play and devouring Rose with her eyes.  Turning toward Labordette, she asked him in a low tone: 

“You are sure he’ll come?”

“Quite sure.  Without doubt he’ll come with Mignon, so as to have an excuse for coming.  As soon as he makes his appearance you’ll go up into Mathilde’s dressing room, and I’ll bring him to you there.”

They were talking of Count Muffat.  Labordette had arranged this interview with him on neutral ground.  He had had a serious talk with Bordenave, whose affairs had been gravely damaged by two successive failures.  Accordingly Bordenave had hastened to lend him his theater and to offer Nana a part, for he was anxious to win the count’s favor and hoped to be able to borrow from him.

“And this part of Geraldine, what d’you thing of it?” continued Labordette.

But Nana sat motionless and vouchsafed no reply.  After the first act, in which the author showed how the Duc de Beaurivage played his wife false with the blonde Geraldine, a comic-opera celebrity, the second act witnessed the Duchess Helene’s arrival at the house of the actress on the occasion of a masked ball being given by the latter.  The duchess has come to find out by what magical process ladies of that sort conquer and retain their husbands’ affections.  A cousin, the handsome Oscar de Saint-Firmin, introduces her and hopes to be able to debauch her.  And her first lesson causes her great surprise, for she hears Geraldine swearing like a hodman at the duke, who suffers with most ecstatic submissiveness.  The episode causes her to cry out, “Dear me, if that’s the way one ought to talk to the men!” Geraldine had scarce any other scene in the act save this one.  As to the duchess, she is very soon punished for her curiosity, for an old buck, the Baron de Tardiveau, takes her for a courtesan and becomes very gallant, while on her other side Beaurivage sits on a lounging chair and makes his peace with Geraldine by dint of kisses and caresses.  As this last lady’s part had not yet been assigned to anyone, Father Cossard had got up to read it, and he was now figuring away in Bosc’s arms and emphasizing it despite himself.  At this point, while the rehearsal was dragging monotonously on, Fauchery suddenly jumped from his chair.  He had restrained himself up to that moment, but now his nerves got the better of him.

“That’s not it!” he cried.

The actors paused awkwardly enough while Fontan sneered and asked in his most contemptuous voice: 

“Eh?  What’s not it?  Who’s not doing it right?”

“Nobody is!  You’re quite wrong, quite wrong!” continued Fauchery, and, gesticulating wildly, he came striding over the stage and began himself to act the scene.